Miley Cyrus Hit With Copyright Lawsuit Over “Flowers”

September 17, 2024 — Miley Cyrus is facing a legal battle after being accused of copying Bruno Mars’ 2013 hit “When I Was Your Man.” The lawsuit, filed by Tempo Music Investments on September 16, claims that Cyrus and her collaborators took key elements from Mars’ song for her popular single “Flowers.” The suit names co-writers Gregory Hein and Michael Pollack, along with several entertainment companies responsible for distributing the track, as defendants.

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Documents obtained by E! News allege that “Flowers” contains “numerous melodic, harmonic, and lyrical similarities” to Mars’ song, including the melodic structure, bassline, and specific sections of the chorus. The lawsuit argues that these similarities suggest Cyrus’ song would not have been possible without Mars’ track.

“Any fan of Bruno Mars’ ‘When I Was Your Man’ would recognize that ‘Flowers’ didn’t achieve its success independently,” the legal filing states. It goes on to claim that the songs share enough elements to constitute copyright infringement, particularly in the melody, harmony, and lyrics.

In addition to monetary damages, Tempo Music Investments is requesting that Cyrus and her team be stopped from reproducing, distributing, or performing “Flowers.”

This lawsuit comes after Cyrus’ big Grammy wins earlier this year, where she took home both Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Flowers.” In a past interview, Cyrus discussed how the song initially had a different, more melancholic tone before evolving into an empowering anthem.

“I originally wrote it in a much sadder way,” she told British Vogue in June. “The chorus was more like, ‘I can buy myself flowers, write my name in the sand, but I can’t love me better than you can.’ It had a real 1950s heartbreak vibe.”

However, Cyrus ultimately shifted the tone to be more self-empowering, explaining, “The song is kind of a ‘fake it till you make it’ situation, which I love.”

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As the case moves forward, the similarities between the two songs will be scrutinized, raising questions about the fine line between inspiration and infringement in music.